The Girl With Seven Lives

A Novel

Vikas Swarup

From the creator of Slumdog Millionaire—the highly-anticipated kaleidoscopic thrill ride through contemporary Delhi where a young woman has to survive her own kidnapping

Devi is a fighter. Growing up in the slums of Delhi, she has learnt that survival comes at a cost—and naturally, that means she’s made a few enemies along the way.

Now she’s being held captive, her life up for sale in an online auction, where the highest bidder will determine her fate.

With her existence hanging in the balance, Devi proceeds to give her captor ‘a confession to beat all confessions’ – as over the course of a single night, Devi unveils the secrets of her seven extraordinary lives.

Devi is the ultimate survivor – a girl from the gutters who dares to rewrite her own destiny. But, like Sheherazade in the Arabian Nights, will she survive the longest night of her life?

Vikas Swarup is a member of the Indian Foreign Service.  His first novel, Q&A, was an nternational bestseller, has been translated into over forty languages, and was made into the multiple Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire.

Buy it now in print:

Buy it now in ebook:

Endorsements & Reviews

“Swarup offers a literary, high-octane tale chock-full of captivating prose, high stakes, and thrilling twists, as well as thoughtful examinations of the cost of survival for a woman fighting systemic oppression.” Booklist

"Swarup’s setup—a character recounts their past in the midst of a high-pressure situation—recalls his 2005 hit Q&A (which was adapted into the film Slumdog Millionaire), but the gender politics at play here add depth, as the author traces a woman’s quest to thrive in a world where she’s the only person she can depend on. Blending nerve-shredding suspense and a big, beating heart, this impresses." Publishers Weekly

Praise for Vikas Swarup’s Q & A, the international bestseller filmed as Slumdog Millionaire:

"An engaging and surprisingly informative read." The Telegraph

"This brilliant story, as colossal, vibrant and chaotic as India itself, is not to be missed.” The Observer

"Swarup is an accomplished storyteller." The Daily Mail

"One of the most delightful reads i've enjoyed in years." Shashi Tharoor, author of Inglorious Empire

"Poignant, funny, rich . . . with an utterly original and brilliant structure at its heart.” Meg Rosoff, author of How I live Now

"Mingling broad humour with incisive social comment, Q&A is an absorbing and richly entertaining reading." The Times (London)

"A hugely successful mixture of satire and intrigue." The Independent on Sunday

"This lively picaresque novel has an original and telling premise. A colorful portrait of Indian society is painted with remarkable lightness and wit.” The Sunday Telegraph